Shipping crate



Patented July 31, 1934 PATENT- p 1,96 8,2il7 t SHIPPING CRATE 7 Joseph .L'Henze, Detroit, Mich. Application June 5, 1933, Serial No. 674,370

[3 Claims". (01; 217-36) The present invention pertains to a novel ship-' ping box or crate, having special reference to that class of box or crate which-is Constructed of wood slats that are secured together and reinforced with wire. The primary'object-of the present invention is to provide a shipping box or crate that may b'e constructed in any suitable size to accommodate various articles, the box or crate being reinforced bywire in a manner to render it rugged and capable of withstanding rough usage. 'The reinforcing wire is interlaced around and between the slats and-frame members that form the box or crate in a novel manner; the object being to place the wire so that it does not project out wardlyfromthe outermost surface of the box or crate ina manner to form a projection which might interfere with piling the boxes or crates I one upon another or side by side, nor which might cause distortion or damage to the wire itself as a result of its being struck by boxes, crates or other articles.

With the above and other ends in view, the

invention consists in thematters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which a 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation of the present box or crate; 1 I Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 isa longitudinal cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2; r Fig. 5 is a cross sectional perspective view illustrative of the manner in which the wire member is received in the lower frame members of the box or crate, and

Fig. 6 illustrates a slightly-modified manner of receiving one of the reinforcing wires.

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designate corresponding parts;

The" numeral- 1 indicates the top side frame members, 2 the bottom side frame members, 3 5 the top end frame members, and 4 the bottom end frame members. The top frame members have their ends secured together by corner gussets 5 and the bottom frame members are secured together at their abutting ends by gussets 6. Secured to the bottoms of the bottom frame members 4 to extend parallel to the frame members 2 are a plurality of spaced bars 7, the outside bars preferably being secured directly underneath the frame members 2. Arranged transversely rela-' ends of which are interposed between the frame members 2 and the bars '7 and which are securedin this "position by nailing the same, the nails preferably being driven through the bars '7, through the ends of the slats Sand into the side frame members 2. v l The sides of-the box or crate, between thetop frame member 1 and the bottom frame member 2, is-formed of a plurality of slats 9 which have their ends secured to corner:posts 10 which are secured at the inside corners of the top frame members to join them to the bottom frame members in spaced relation as illustrated. Theends of the'box'or crate, between the frame members 3 and 4, have slats ll-similarly mounted with their ends secured to the upright corner posts 10'.

In each case the slats 9'and1l are secured'to the corner posts 10by means of staples 12 that" pass through a sheet metal corner gusset 13", through the ends of the slats 9 and 11 andinto the corner posts 10. I

In order to reinforce the described construction, there are'provided drilled holes 14 in the upper frame members 1, the holes being drilled from the bottom edge to extend upwardlythereinin 80. a vertical plane when the box or crate is in its normal 'p'ositio'n as illustrated in the drawing; From the inside surface of the frame members are drilled holes 15 that connect with the holes Hand a; reinforcingwire 16 has its upper end passed through the bores 14 and 15 to project into the box. The inner projecting end of the wire is bent over as at 17 and secured by a staple 18. The frame members are formed of heavier material than the'slats and the holes 14 are ar:- ranged so that their inner edges are flush with the outside surface of the slats so that the wire 16'that projects downwardlyfrom the holes rests against'the outside surface of the slats.

The lower frame members 2 and the ends of the slats 8 are notched as at 19 and the bars 7 n are notched asat 20, the latter notch 20 extend ing approximately half way through the bars vertically. The notches-in each case are formed of a given depth so that the bottom of the same is directly in line with the outside surface of the slats 9 and the bars 7 are provided with drilled holes 21 that extend through the bars horizontally to connect with the notches 20.

Each wire 16 extends downwardly against the outer faces of the slats 9 and is received in the notches 19 and 20, the lowermost end of the same being passed through the drilled hole 21 and bent over against the adjacent face of the bar 7 as at 22 and secured in this position by a staple 23. 1.

Secured at its upper end to the inner face of the rail member 1 by the staple 18 that secures the end of the wire 16 is a wire 24 so that it extends downwardly along the inner faces of the slats 9. The wire 24 extends outwardly at each edge of each slat 9 and is twisted around the wire 16 as at 25 and is secured to the wire 16 beneath the lowermost slat 9 as at 26.

The two-,upper end frame-members 3-arepro-.- vided withyertically drilled holes 27f and 28 re,- spectively extending upwardly in the frame member from the bottom edge thereof and in line with the outside faces of the slats 11. Holes 29; and 30 are drilled from the inside faces of the frame members to connect with the holes=27 and 28 respectively. The two lower endrframesmeme bers 4 are notched as at 31 and 32 respectively,

the notches being formed scans-t: their bottomsthe: notchr3l, acrossthebottomfaces of the;

slats 8, through the notch 32, up wardly aeross the: adjacent facesbf. the slats ll, through. the ho1es .28 and-. 30 and is fthen bent over against the adjacent face oflthe framer memberfi andsecured; by; a.staple 35;. A. wire'36 has-\ one. end" securedto. the; frame .member: 3 by the staple" 3,4-:- and extends.- downwardly acrosstheinnen faces of theslatswl'l; across the upper faces of the, slats 8; and' upwardly;- across the slatsll: at-2the oppositeend of=the:box, the end ofthe wire being secured-to" the oppositeyframe memberby thestaple 35.; The; wire 36 extends a outwardly between each: pairsof slats- 8- and; 1.1; and this, outwardly extended ,por tion is-loopedtorrtwisted around the-:w-ire-33 as- 2.13237; i:

In this manner the slats and-frame members, which are: secured together. at. their abutting ends; are reinforcedand more securelyltied-together at: points intermediate their: ends by the wires 16' 211(1124 andqthe wires .33 v and-36 and the wires .l6-and'33 which extendiacrossf the out side faces of -.the slats are received. inthe 1 frame members inaamanner whereby"- theydo not pro jectl outwardly-in amanner; to strike obj ects when theeboxon crater-is being;m0ved'and;causeudam age to otherrobjects as well-as distort-.and-damage theewiresfthemselvesi.

. Fig-.. 6 illustrates the manner in=which-a.=hole; 3.8.may-bedrilled substantially diagonally through the. member: 3: to accommodate. the. wire '33,- in a.

single .drilling, operation instead of providing the:

two.holes-: 27- and 29. I

Although a: specific embodiment of. thetpresentinvention has-:been illustrated and-described,-,it is tobeunderstood that various alterationslmay'be madew-ithinthe scope of. the appendedclaims without. departing from the spirit of the. inven-.-- tion; and such-.changes are. contemplated faces of said slats, said wire being looped around said bottom panel, means for securing the ends of" said wire to the inside surfaces of said top frame members, and a lacing wire laced around said slats" and around said first named wire.

23 A box 'or-craterincluding a pair of side panels anda. bottom panel, bars secured adjacent to the sidesof said bottom panel, each of said side panels comprisingazpluralityg of slats arranged between top andbottom frame members,- said frame mem bers ibeing of heavier. crossssection than said slats and arranged rel-ativetothe latter so asto present.

a smooth interior, said top frame.members being provided 2 with -helesopening: through. the bottom edgeand: inside.- surfaces thereof saidbottomframe; members. being: provided. with grooves. in.

line'with said holes, ,said barsshav-ing: grooves-in line withsaid first :named: grooves, ,said -bars 'having; boresrextending, from the;gr.oovestherein I to theinsidesurfaces. thereofg, wires: having their; upper; ends secure'd to 'theinside-surfaces of said.

top frame.;members-, extending, through the holes therein, received in:- saidgrooves,v extending through said (bores and. secured to .the inside: surfaces, of. said bars,-:. and. interlacing; wires? laced. around said-.,slats and; around;- saidfirst. named wires. 1

i 3;. A box.or; crate'inoludinga;bottomrpanelland side: and: end: panels including; top 7 and bottom frame members, bars secured adj acentlto the sides of." sai-da bottom: paneli and: extending parallel to said' side:-pane1-s-; the. top: frame members insaid end: panels; being, provided; with; holes.

opening throughrthe: bottom: edgeand: inside surfaces thereof, wires-looped.- beneath said i bot-- tom panels and having; opposite ends passing through holes in said top frame members,- ,meansfor securing said ends; to/theinside; surfaces of said-to'p-framezmembers, said-side top frame members having holes opening through the: bottom" edge? amdlinside :surf aces 1 thereof ,said bars, having bores extending through to:the-.- inside surfaces thereof; saidrsidegbottom:frame members having grooves:v in: line:. withsaid: holes: and: bores, and: wires". passed; through said. holes, grooves; and

bores, means for securing one endlof eachiof; said last. named wires, to the: insider surfaces of said side top frame members, .andmeanszfor securing theother: ends of: saichwiresato the-insidesurfaces of saidbars.

1 JDSEPHiJ... HENZE;

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